Sera"Runa," her mother whispered harshly. "Wake up." The girl stirred under Ilse's urgent grip, pulling herself out of dreamless sleep. Her fingers tightened on the little carved bird in her hand. "What...what's happening?" she mumbled. Ilse's hands shook her, hard. "Shh. Quiet, Runa, quiet!" Something was very wrong.From outside came strange noises...men's shouts, the splinter of wood, a dog howling in terror. A scream ripped through the night, echoing in the darkness...and was cut off.It was the sound of death. I knew it. She did not.The girl heard them and I felt her go stiff. Her mother was already up, moving soundlessly to her father. He went to the shutter and pulled it open just enough to look out, one eye pressed to the gap. Ilse waited, her face a mask of fear."What is it?" she whispered when he didn't move. "Torvald?"He closed the shutter and turned to her. "Bandits," he said shortly. "They're burning the houses."Ilse gasped. The girl had no breath left to gasp. Fi
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